2025 Kia Soul Problems & Complaints

Better than average52% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Soul at the same age

Owners have filed 12 complaints about the 2025 Kia Soul with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That is 52% fewer than a typical Soul model year at the same age, making the 2025 one of the better Soul years. The most reported problem area is the lights (4 complaints).

12complaints
0recalls
2crashes
0fires
1injuries
0deaths

Most common 2025 Kia Soul problems

  • Lights
    433%
  • Other / not specified
    325%
  • Driver assistance
    325%
  • Brakes
    217%
  • Speed control & acceleration
    18%
  • Wheels & tires
    18%
  • Suspension
    18%
  • Windows, wipers & sunroof
    18%
  • Air bags
    18%
  • Engine & cooling
    18%
  • Transmission & drivetrain
    18%

Share of the 12 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.

Kia Soul complaints by model year

’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’2513519451466790290281627221913738723894543012
Owner complaints per model year, Kia Soul. Colour = our verdict for that year (red: avoid, orange: caution, green: better than average, blue: too new).

Best Soul years: 2010, 2011, 2025. Years to avoid: 2015, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021. Compare all years →

What 2025 Kia Soul owners say

Lights

2 incidents driving in a not familiar area...Almost drove off the road in very dark conditions at a light because I couldn't see that my road had ended .I was almost side swiped trying to get back on the road the last second.Iwas not taking any meds abd Don't drink Also drive at night on well lit highways.Also the lights are so dim that my road assist features did not activate on dark rainy roads where it could not see road markings

Dec 2025

Headlights when on dim are inadequate. You can not see the road. You can not drive with your lights on bright in traffic. Severe hazard to all. Near miss on animals and road damage. Very frightening.

Jul 2025

Driver assistance

Hit a deer. Airbag did not deploy or emergency braking system didn't come on. Police took pictures of car. The car is at the repair shop now. Insurance company hasn't stated if it will be totaled. There were no other problems prior to incident.

Automatic emergency braking · Mar 2026 · crash

When pulling out of a parking spot all of collision responses started to flash. This included front collision, side collision and rear collision. The power steering no longer worked. I bought the car new in 11/05/2025. I only have 1,311 miles on the car. I did have an oil change done by the dealer about a week prior and the report showed no problems. I am now very concerned about driving it even after the car would be repaired. I will say that KIA America arranged for the tow back to the dealership and I was given a loaner car to use. I honestly feel this is a safety hazard. Regards, [redacted]

Blind spot detection · May 2026

2025 Kia Soul engines & fuel economy

EngineTransmissionDriveMPG city / hwy / combined
2.0L 4-cylCVTFWD29 / 35 / 31

EPA ratings. Class: Wagon.

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2025 Kia Soul a good car?

Based on 12 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2025 Soul rates better than average: 52% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Soul at the same age. It is one of the best Soul years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.

What is the most common problem with the 2025 Kia Soul?

The lights — 4 complaints, 33% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the driver assistance (3) and brakes (2).

How many recalls does the 2025 Kia Soul have?

NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2025 Kia Soul. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.

What are the best and worst years of the Kia Soul?

The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2010, 2011 and 2025. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2015, 2014, 2016, 2020 and 2021. See the full Kia Soul years comparison.

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.